Anthropomorphic

Anthropomorphic is a word which literally means "human shaped" (from the Greek anthrōpos (human being) + morphē (shape)). It is used to describe a concept called anthropomorphism, or ascribing human characteristics to non-human beings or objects. Typically, this is used in reference to deities, which are usually given the form of humans. However, the word can apply to any non-human thing, including animals, plants, and inanimate objects.

In a literary sense, there is a difference between ascribing human traits to an object (anthropomorphism), or to an abstract concept (personification).

Since the 1980s, the furry fandom has used the word to refer primarily to bipedal animals. Anthropomorphic animals are sometimes called anthro or morphic for short, and art featuring furry characters is sometimes called anthro art.

Words like zoomorphic and therianthropic also describe creatures on the animal-shaped end of the anthropomorphism spectrum, but anthropomorphic is the more widely used term in the fandom.

There are subtle differences between the terms for an animal that thinks like a human and an animal that looks like a human. However, within the furry community the following terms seem to be used interchangeably: